Meet The Coach: GFH coach Chris Napierala

Chris Napierala is the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Great Falls High Bison football team. This is his 26th year on the staff.

Q: How would you assess this season from your group?

A: Comparing to what we did last year, this is a new system that we put in. Last year we threw for a total of 800 yards. So I spent the summer, with coach (Bill) Polk, our receivers coach, just really emphasizing our passing game, our route concepts and trying to weed out what we could do based on our quarterback's strengths. And, you know, when you look at the win-loss record, it's not that good. But we've actually thrown for about 600 yards more than we did last year at this point, and we still have one game left. So from that aspect, the kids have put in a lot of time and spent hours working on that aspect, and I think they did improve.

Q: Is it a matter of changing the offense or just throwing the ball more and more effectively?

A: We changed our scheme. We changed our concepts. We kind of implemented some concepts that we felt would be more advantageous for the personnel that we had … We are getting closer. I know with what Coach (Matt) Krahe has put in this year and the way we are calling it, I really like what we are doing. We have a foundation now that is more consistent. The freshman are running what we are running. The sophomores are, too.

Q: How has Jordan Wilkins played this season at quarterback?

A: He has done everything I've asked him to do. He is very effective in the short (passing game). Quick pass, that type of thing. Flat reads. The only thing that he needs to work on – and I say this now because he wants to go play somewhere at the next level – is just his pocket presence, and he knows that … But as far as his completion percentage, he is at 60 percent. He doesn't throw very many interceptions. I think that his decision-making has improved a lot since last year. As far as overall improvement, he's improved a lot. … I've had some good quarterbacks … Out of all those guys, he has worked the hardest. He has done everything I wanted … I have to kick him out of the weight room. I have to say, 'Jordan, go home.'

Q: You were a receiver at CMR back in the early 80s. Now you are at GFH.

A: It's been fun. I wouldn't say that I have any green and gold left in me, because I've been over here bleeding blue and white (laughs) for forever. But I like those guys over there. A lot of those guys I went to high school with.

Q: What's that been like, though, playing for CMR and now coaching at GFH?

A: It's not that big of a deal. It was kind of funny, when my son was born, he's always known that I've been a coach at Great Falls High. And then he found my memory box with the Rustlers stuff in it, and he was going, 'Dad! Look at what I found!' And I said, 'Yeah, I played over at CMR.' He was like, 'What?!' So it was kind of a funny deal there. No, I respect those guys (over at CMR).

Q: So this is your 26th year coaching. What keeps you coming back?

A: I love football. I just love being out here. I love Friday Night Lights. I love working with the kids. I like watching them progress as young men as freshman to becoming mature guys and adults. The ups and downs. You know the last couple years we haven't won a lot of games. But these kids have always worked their butts off. And then we beat Butte, and you know how good you feel about a win and how hard the kids worked to get that. It's like, this is why we do it. It was that type of a feeling.

Q: Obviously, crosstown week. What does GFH-CMR football mean to you or how would you sum it up?

A: Well, it's just huge. I can't imagine going through an October without being a part of the Bison-Russell game, with the chemistry that you feel throughout the town. It's just exciting. It always has been.